Angels and Demons
by Cherazor
Summary: Usagi finds Tuxedo Kamen after a battle and brings him home with her. Will love blossom freely, or will demons come in their way?
1. Chapter one – The Magic Can Begin

_Well, here I am again. A new fic by me…and it's actually longer than my usual ones. This is the first chapter of about…seven, I think. Either that or six. This is sort of a sequel to 'Understanding', but you don't have read it to understand this. However, it might be good if you do. ;)_

_And this might sound like a really strange thing to write in an Author's Note but, a couple of friends of mine and I are going cosplaying later (probably by the end of this month) as Pluto, Neptune and Saturn –I'm Saturn, by the way - but we would like to be the whole Outer Senshi, so if anyone of you happens to be a Swede who wouldn't mind being Uranus (or alternatively a bad guy… or Tuxedo Kamen. I really wouldn't mind that ;)) and who wouldn't mind joining us…drop me a review, okay?_

_And for those who want photos…drop me a review as well. :P_

_Well, okay, please enjoy! Reviews make my world go around:)_

_-Cherry_

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**Angels and Demons**

_**Chapter one – The Magic Can Begin**_

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It was raining. The raindrops pounded on his injured shoulder mercilessly and he cried out in pain. He didn't know how long he'd been lying there; all he knew that it had long since gone dark and the streetlights had flickered to life quite some time ago. He had tried to get up, but his injured shoulder proved the movement impossible. He was too weak and the blood loss had been too great.

It had all been a fluke. An injury caused by extreme bad luck, topped with a hint of arrogance.

The crystalline youma they battled had been a weak one. Or, at least weak enough for the Sailor senshi to beat it without his help. Yet, he'd waited patiently from his hiding place in the trees, should the senshi – or, rather, Sailor Moon – need his assistance.

The battle had ended quickly. A well aimed tiara and it was all over.

Or so they had thought. No one had ever counted on the fact that the youma might not turn into dust the moment Sailor Moon's tiara connected with it. Instead it shattered, exploding into millions of projectiles, flying everywhere.

The senshi had reacted quickly, throwing themselves to the ground faster than his eyes could see. That way they'd managed to come out from the battle relatively unharmed, save some cuts and bruises. He, on the other hand…

He had been so certain of the fact that he was a safe distance away. So certain he didn't pay attention to the deadly projectiles. Instead he watched over the senshi, making sure they were all right. He never even saw the flying shard before it was too late.

A large crystalline shard had flown towards him, piercing through his left shoulder as if it had been made by papier-mâché.

He had staggered backwards, falling off the tree by the sheer force from the shard, his head hitting the ground below with a muffled thud. The world had spun around him before darkness had enveloped him completely…

Soft clicks from soles on asphalt echoed through the silence and jerked his mind back into the present. He forced his eyes to open when the soft footfalls suddenly stopped. A small female figure stood bent over him, and even with his befuddled mind he managed to register how beautiful she was. Water dripped from her white, almost transparent, dress and it clung onto her like a second skin, showing off her every curve. Her thick, silky hair was up in two odangos, one on each side of her head and the streetlights illuminated her uniquely styled hair softly, giving it a golden - almost ethereal - glow. But what really caught his eye were her eyes; the beautiful sky-blue eyes that seemed to shine by a power of their own.

He wanted to reach up, just to see if she was real. She looked simply divine. "Are you an angel?" he whispered.

Her eyes widened and her lower lip quivered as she spoke. "Tuxedo Kamen-sama?" she asked softly, her voice trembling with worry.

He bobbed his head once, too weak to do much else.

Her eyes seemed to fill with tears as she bent down, gripping his arms tightly. "Can you stand? I-I'll help you, Tuxedo Kamen-sama."

He moaned, his shoulder protesting widely, but with her help he managed to stagger up onto his legs, leaning heavily onto her side. He glanced at her and he noticed that she looked nervous, as if she wasn't very happy with what she had to do. It was then it dawned on him – he was dead. He'd died and she was supposed to take him. "T-Tenshi…" He nodded, a small smile gracing his lips. "It's okay."

She nodded; a determined glint sparkled in her eyes. "Here. This way," she said, bobbing her head to her right.

He nodded again as he staggered forward, placing even more of his weight on her. She gasped, her legs wavering under her.

"Gomen," he whispered, the pain from walking straining him visibly.

She shook her head. "Daijobu." She continued forward, basically carrying his whole weight on her shoulders. "We're almost there."

He nodded again, causing the world to start spinning around him once more. He just didn't have enough energy to continue anymore. He slumped against her as the darkness overcame him.

Usagi gasped as she felt Tuxedo Kamen go slack. She wavered under the extra weight, nearly toppling to the ground. "Tuxedo Kamen-sama! Wake up!" She lowered him to the ground as carefully as she could. "Tuxedo Kamen-sama!" She stared at him helplessly, her eyes filling with tears. He wasn't dead, was he?

The sight of his chest slowly rising and lowering spread shockwaves of relief through her body. She scrambled up onto her legs shakily. She had to get help.

She dashed off, running faster than she had ever before. She reached her front door mere minutes afterwards. Not wasting time on trying to regain her breath, she raised her hand, pounding on the door with a power she didn't even know she possessed. "Mama! Papa!" she called, desperation evident in her voice.

Ikuko opened the door some few moments later. "Usagi? What is it? You-" she broke off as she noticed her daughter's disheveled appearance. Her, before white, dress was soaked both with water and blood. "Usagi! What happened? Are you hurt? Did someone-"

Usagi shook her head. "Iie. It's not me." She gripped her mother's arm, trying to tug her with her. "I found that hero - you've seen him on the news, mama - Tuxedo Kamen-sama lying on the street. He's hurt! We have to help him. I tried to get him here, but he fell unconscious. Mama! We have to help him!" she shrieked.

"Kenji!" Ikuko called as she grabbed Usagi tightly in her grasp. "Usagi, I need you to calm down. You're panicking. It won't help if you panic."

"Demo, mama-"

Kenji rushed out, the evening paper still in his hand. "Koishii? What is it? Has something happened?"

Ikuko nodded. "I'll explain in the car. Usagi - you show the way."

After hearing his daughter's strange tale of finding an injured hero on the street, Kenji cursed and proceeded to floor the accelerator. His driver's license would have been history, should a police have seen him. But, he didn't care. A young man was lying out there dying: A young man who'd done so much to protect the city.

"Mama, papa…why didn't we call an ambulance?"

Kenji smiled weakly at his daughter through the rear-view mirror. "I'm afraid that it won't be an option, koibito."

"Nani? Why?"

Kenji's smile widened slightly. That was his daughter, all right. Pure hearted but naïve. "Because, do you know what would happen if the media would hear about the famous Tuxedo Kamen lying helpless in a hospital?"

His wife continued, silently urging him to keep his focus on the road. "It would become a media circus over night. And not only that, as honorable as doctors and nurses are…the temptation to find out his identity might still prove to be too big for them to resist." She shook her head sadly. "I'm afraid that bringing him to the hospital will be a last resort."

Kenji slammed the breaks suddenly and the car skidded to a halt. "This is where you said, ne?"

Usagi glanced through her window, spotting Tuxedo Kamen's still form. "Hai," she blurted quickly before rushing out, her parents following closely. "Tuxedo Kamen-sama…" she whispered.

Ikuko was the next to reach him. She kneed beside him, inspecting his injury as carefully as she could in the dim light. "It's not as bad as it looks," she stated softly. "But we need to stop the bleeding; he's already lost a bit of blood. Usagi, when we drive home I want you to press against his wound like this." She pressed both her hands over his injury, one hand on each side of his shoulder. "As hard as you can."

The trip home passed by in a blur. Afterwards, Usagi's only vivid memory of it was her hands slowly getting soaked by the masked man's blood.

"Usagi," her mother called softly, "we're home. I need you to get some bandages, a compress, alcohol…and bring it to our guestroom."

* * *

The first thing Tuxedo Kamen knew when he started regaining consciousness was pain. His head was pounding and his shoulder felt like someone had prodded it with a heated iron bar.

The second thing he noticed was that someone was carefully, almost lovingly, wiping his brow with a towel. He forced his eyes to open and managed a weak smile at the sight. The angel from before stood, hovering above him, fingers playing with a loose strand of his hair.

"Tenshi," he whispered.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "Tuxedo Kamen-sama, you're awake! How are you feeling? Are you hungry?" she bubbled nervously.

His smile widened lovingly as he tried to shake his head. "Iie. Not…hungry. Tenshi-"

She laughed softly. "I'm not an angel. My name's Tsukino Usagi."

His eyes widened. She wasn't an angel? Somehow, he found the fact hard to grasp. She was so beautiful, her eyes so kind… "Where am I?" he croaked.

"In my attic. I wanted to take you to the hospital but okaa-san and otou-san said it wouldn't be such a good idea with you being a hero and…" she broke off as she realized that she was babbling.

He smiled widely, finding the mindless babbling incredibly endearing. "How," his voice got caught in his throat and he had to clear it before he could continue. "How did I get here?"

"I found you on the street, do you remember? Well, we managed a bit on foot, but I guess you'd lost too much blood because you blacked out halfway here. So I ran home and got mama and papa with the car and they brought you here."

"Arigatou," he whispered hoarsely.

She shook her head. "It was nothing, really." And somehow he knew it was an honest answer. It wasn't just an automatic reply, she truly meant it.

She really was an angel, it didn't matter what she said. He knew she was one. She could have left him to die on the street or simply called for an ambulance and gone home, but she hadn't. She truly wanted to help. His heart felt warm just by watching her.

He cleared his throat again. "Tenshi," he whispered, his throat too dry for him to speak any louder and he had to clear his throat again.

She blushed at the nickname, but didn't comment. Then her eyes widened. "Oh," she squeaked, "I'm so rude! Gomen nasai! Your throat must be dryer than—Water, is that okay?" she spoke rapidly, her words coming out faster and faster.

He nodded and she jumped up to her feet, quickly stepping towards the door. She turned suddenly. "Anou… Would you like to borrow the phone? To call your family or…"

He shook his head. "Iie. I wouldn't know who to call even if I wanted to."

"Nani? Why?"

Tuxedo Kamen smiled crookedly, his eyes glinting sadly under his mask. "Because I don't know who I am," he paused, wondering if he could trust her with what he was about to tell her. Gazing at her honest face, he was suddenly ashamed he'd actually thought otherwise. "I am only Tuxedo Kamen. I know I have another life, another identity, if you will… But I have no recollection of it. I simply wake up whenever there's a battle and fall back into darkness whenever I'm not needed anymore."

Usagi's eyes were filled with tears. "That's sad," she whispered.

He frowned. "In fact, I should have de-transformed by now…"

"Anou…why don't you just check who you are?"

"Nani? How do you mean?"

She pointed towards a mirror hanging on the wall. "Couldn't you just take of your mask and look?"

He smiled, shaking his head softly. "I still wouldn't know my name."

She blushed. "Demo…" She bit her lip, her brows furrowing as she thought. "I could check if you want. I might know you."

He pondered her suggestion carefully before replying. "Iie, Tokyo's a big city. I could be anyone…the chance of you knowing me is rather small. And, should you know…I would be putting you at risk. The Dark Kingdome would stop at nothing to know my identity."

She nodded, accepting his decision without a beat. She smiled softly. "I'll be right back with that water."

A warm sensation spread through his stomach and for the first time in his life, Tuxedo Kamen wasn't certain exactly what he was feeling.

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_To be continued_

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_Japanese translations:_

_Tenshi – Angel  
Gomen/Gomen nasai/Gomen ne – Sorry/Excuse me  
Daijobu – It's all right/I'm all right  
Nani – What  
Demo – But  
Koishii – My love  
Koibito – Sweetheart  
Hai – Yes  
Iie – No  
Okaa-san - Mother  
Otou-san – Father  
Arigatou – Thank you  
Anou/Eto – Um/Err_


	2. Chapter two – Knowledge Retold

_Hello everyone! Here I am again, with the next chapter. I was planning on posting it a bit earlier than this, but I got some troubles with the future chapters, and I wanted to clear it up before I posted again. I haven't managed to fix the problems completely yet, but since it's my birthday tomorrow…well, let's just make this my celebration. :P And no, you may not ask how old I am. Let's just say I'm turning…thirteen. Yeah. Thirteen sounds good. _

_Ahem! Now that I've ventilated my age-crisis I better bid you a good read. I hope you enjoy this chapter since it's probably the least exciting one in the whole story. But it had to be done. A warning, though, this chapter is the reason why you might want to read **Understanding** – you don't have to, you'll understand the chapter anyway, but it might be good to do so._

_Now, enjoy and please review._

_-Cherry_

_A special thank-you goes to Luna a.k.a Temptation Angel (check her out here at ff. net) for listening to all of my ramblings, reading through this and even commenting it. If it wasn't for you this fic still would have been half baked.

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**Angels and Demons**

**_Chapter two – Knowledge Retold

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Usagi balanced the breakfast tray carefully in her right hand as she raised her, now free, left hand to knock. "Ohayo!" she called happily.

Silence was her only reply and her smile faltered slightly. She opened the door carefully and peeked inside. He seemed to be asleep and she nudged the door as wide open as she could. She tiptoed inside, carefully placing the tray on the bedside table.

She smiled and placed a gentle hand on his brow, not able to resist the temptation. She gasped, jerking her hand back. He was burning up!

She dashed down the stairs and into the kitchen. "Mama!" she called. "Tuxedo Kamen-sama…he has a fever."

Ikuko's eyes widened. "Oh, no… I tried to get that wound as clean as possible. An infection could be lethal… Shimatta!"

Usagi gasped. Whether it was because of the news of an infection being lethal or the fact that she had cursed, Ikuko didn't know.

"If the fever doesn't break soon…" she trailed off.

Usagi bit her lip and her brows furrowed. "Mama… Motoki-onii-san's studying to become a doctor. He might be able to help. I know we can trust him."

Ikuko nodded, signing for her to go and find him. Usagi dashed off, basically leaving a trail of smoke after her.

Ikuko shook her head, an amused smile playing at her lips. "And yet she can't get to school in time…"

* * *

Usagi arrived at the Crown Arcade some few moments later. She burst through the automatic doors completely out of breath. 

"Ohayo, Usagi-chan! Your usual?" Motoki called from the counter, his usual cheery smile apparent on his face.

"Iie." She gasped, rushing up to the counter. She gripped his hand tightly. "I need your help," she whispered, her eyes begging him to understand.

He blinked, utterly confused with her antics. "Usagi-chan?"

She glanced around, making sure that no one was close enough to listen. "Anou… A friend of mine is hurt," she whispered, her voice low. "He needs medical attention and-"

"Usagi-chan, bring him to a doctor I'm-"

She shushed him. "No, you don't understand!" she hissed. "I found Tuxedo Kamen-sama hurt yesterday. Something had pierced right through his left shoulder and now he's running a fever… We can't bring him to the hospital, it's just too dangerous. Onegai, Motoki-onii-san! Onegai!"

He nodded. "I'll help," he whispered. "I'll meet you at your place in an hour, okay?"

She smiled gratefully, grabbing a napkin and pencil before jolting down her address. "Here." She handed him the napkin. "Arigatou. You have no idea what this means to me," she whispered, leaning up and planting a quick peck on his cheek before rushing out, her long hair streaming after her.

Motoki stared after her for a moment before untying his apron. "Unazuki!" he called. "I need to leave for an hour or two. Look after this place while I'm gone, onegai?" He didn't wait for a reply and dashed off.

Unazuki smiled knowingly. "Have fun with Usagi-chan," she called after him, winking slyly.

* * *

Motoki arrived at their door an hour later - on the dot – just as he'd promised. He knocked, nervously clutching a bag in his arms. 

Ikuko opened the door slowly, a small smile on her lips. "Motoki-san?"

He nodded. "Hai."

She opened the door, smiling warmly as she let him inside. She reached out with her hand, signing that she could take his jacket, and he handed in to her silently. "Arigatou," she whispered and he was quite certain she wasn't talking about the jacket.

"Oh, there you are, Motoki-onii-san. He's up in the attic. Come, follow me." Usagi smiled, breaking the tension in the room immediately.

Motoki nodded mutely, following her as she scurried up the stairs.

"I've been trying to lower his temperature with cold towels, but I'm not sure it's working. But, he woke up a moment ago, at least." She smiled, opening the small door before peeking inside. "Tuxedo Kamen-sama? The guy I told you about, Motoki-onii-san, he's here." She stepped aside, allowing him entrance.

Motoki smiled. "Konnichi wa." He bobbed his head. "Usagi-chan, gomen ne, but I think you should leave."

She pouted. "Demo-"

He raised his hand. "Iie, Usagi-chan. It's not like that. I just don't think that you should see this. Injuries like these can be rather painful to see. Trust me, I'm a medical student. And," he smiled, "I'm about to take off his shirt…"

A blush graced her cheeks. "I'll, anou, be waiting in the kitchen." She bounced off, closing the door behind her carefully.

Motoki laughed softly. "Oh, Usagi-chan…" He opened his bag, rummaging through it. "Can you take off your shirt by yourself or do you need some help?"

Tuxedo Kamen shook his head. "Iie, I can manage." He moved his hands to unbutton his dress shirt, gritting his teeth from the pain of the movement.

Motoki shook his head, but let him do it on his own, knowing that he wouldn't be satisfied otherwise. "I know you," he stated softly, slipping on a pair of rubber gloves as he talked. "I know that you don't know who I am, but I know you."

Tuxedo Kamen jerked his head upwards, staring at him through his mask. "You know me?" An air of seriousness fell over them.

Motoki tugged the dress shirt off the hero's injured shoulder. "Hai." He signed for him to lie down. "I've known for a while… You accidentally transformed in front of me, do you remember?"

He frowned as he rested against the pillow, thinking back as hard as he could. A memory flashed through his mind. "I remember. You called me the protector."

Motoki laughed. "No, I called you Mamoru," he grinned at Tuxedo Kamen's confused face. "It's a difference. You see, your name is Mamoru. Chiba Mamoru." He prodded the injured area softly.

Tuxedo Kamen gaped as it dawned on him. "How…how well do we know each other?"

Motoki smiled. "We're best friends. You're a bit of a loner." He shrugged. "You're very popular at school - girls swarm you wherever you go - but you keep to yourself, mostly. I'm one of the few people you've opened up to."

"How old am I? What am I studying to? Do I have a girlfriend?" The last question came out more as a croak than anything else.

"You're nineteen and you're studying to become a doctor. And you live alone, no girlfriend or family. Your parents died in an accident when you were six."

"I'm always alone, huh?" He sighed.

"Well, you've got me and Reika, my girlfriend. Gomen," he stated sheepishly as Tuxedo Kamen growled in pain when he accidentally prodded an extra sensitive area of the injury.

"What about Ten—Usagi-san? You seem to know her. Do I know her?"

Motoki nodded. "You know her and you tease her a lot."

Tuxedo Kamen could feel his heart drop to his knees. "I tease her? Why?"

Motoki shrugged. "I don't know. You just do… You keep calling her 'Odango Atama' because of her hair and mock her because of her grades."

He groaned. "She must hate me. I think I hate me."

A small smile tugged at Motoki's lips. "That's the nice thing with Usagi-chan – she never hates."

Seeing her radiant smile and sparkling eyes in his mind, Tuxedo Kamen didn't doubt that for a second.

"Hmm…" Motoki said, stopping his prodding. "It's healing just fine, but it's infected, all right. It's nothing antibiotics won't help with, however…" he paused, rummaging through his bag for a moment, "I only have a few pills left…" He handed him three small pills. "Take one now, one later tonight and one for tomorrow. I'll try to acquire more until then."

Tuxedo Kamen nodded, popping one of the small pills into his mouth with a grimace. He drowned the glass of water, which had been standing on the bedside table beside him, quickly.

Motoki laughed. "I'll see you tomorrow, then, Tuxedo Kamen-sama." He walked out, closing the door behind him. He walked down the stairs and was nearly attacked by the two awaiting females.

"Well?" They cried at the same time.

He couldn't help a small laugh. "Like mother, like daughter. Well, he's healing just fine except for the infection. I've given him all the antibiotics I have. It's barely enough for tomorrow, but I think I might be able to get some more if I claim that I need them for my studies." He shrugged. "He's actually healing very rapidly. I think it might have something to do with his transformation, but it's just a theory."

Usagi frowned, remembering Tuxedo Kamen's passing comment. _"In fact, I should have de-transformed by now…" _Could this be the reason for him still being transformed?

Motoki glanced at his watch before giving out a loud yelp. "I have to get back to the Arcade; I told Unazuki I'd be back within the hour…" He rushed to the front door, gripping his jacket as he passed. He opened the door hastily, letting a small black cat inside. "Bye," he called, giving them a short wave.

The small black cat leaped into Usagi's arms, settling her protégé under an angry glare.

Ikuko smiled, clearly relieved by Motoki's good news. "I'm going to get some groceries, Usagi. I'll be back in a while."

Usagi squeaked, her eyes flickering nervously between her mother and Luna's piercing gaze. Judging by Luna's angry expression, Usagi sensed that she the time spent alone with the feline probably wouldn't be a very pleasant experience.

* * *

"Usagi-chan, I can't believe you brought Tuxedo Kamen here of all the places!" the feline's voice was higher than normal, and Usagi could tell that she wasn't very pleased. "We don't know whether or not he's on our side, if we can-" 

Usagi sighed, stroking her cat's head softly. "Demo, Luna, what should I have done? Left him to die on the street? And it wasn't my idea, either. I wanted to bring him to a hospital, but mama and papa told me it wasn't a very good idea, considering who he is."

Luna's eyes softened. Usagi's kind heart never creased to amaze her. "I know, Usagi-chan. I just…I suppose I'm a bit upset that you didn't tell me." She sighed, leaning against Usagi's hand. "Demo, we still don't know whether or not Tuxedo Kamen can be trusted. We need to keep a close eye on him. Are you certain he doesn't know who you are?"

Usagi nodded. "Hai."

"Good." She nodded. "I'm going to discuss this with the rest of the girls. In the meantime, I want you to keep him under a close watch." She leapt down from her protégés arms, turning her back at her in an attempt to hide the smile that graced her lips.

Should anyone have asked her about it, she would have denied it until she turned blue, but Usagi was - by far - her favorite of the three senshi. Calm, intelligent and collected Ami-chan might be the one who she understood and sympathized with the most, but it was still Usagi she liked the most.

It was something simply enchanting with the bubbly teen. Perhaps it was her big heart or her usual sunny mood. Either way, Luna knew she wanted Usagi to be happy at all costs. And she also knew about Usagi's not-so-subtle crush on the masked hero, she was neither blind nor deaf, after all. So, if this was what it took to let Usagi be happy, then, by all means, she would make sure that none of the other senshi disturbed! But, should the young man do anything to hurt her young protégé, then it would be hell to pay for him. And she would make it her personal mission to make sure he paid. With interest.

"Hai," Usagi replied solemnly, breaking Luna from her reverie.

Luna nodded before padding outside, her tail slowly swinging from one side to another. "I'll be back tomorrow. I'll sleep at Ami-chan's." She glanced back briefly, and afterwards, Usagi could have sworn she had winked.

* * *

_To be continued_

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Japanese translations:  
Tenshi – Angel  
Ohayo_ _– Good morning_  
_Gomen/Gomen nasai/Gomen ne – Sorry/Excuse me  
Konnichi wa__ – Hello/Hi/Good day  
Nani – What  
Demo – But  
Shimatta – Damn/Oh no  
Onegai – Please  
Hai – Yes  
Iie – No  
Onii – Big brother  
Arigatou – Thank you  
Anou/Eto – Um/Err_


	3. Chapter three – When Angel Talks

_I'm really sorry about the delay on this. I really meant to put it up a lot earlier than this but I got some troubles with the chapter I'm writing right now. Yes, I'm writing ahead, just so I'm certain I have something to post. I've just finished chapter five now as we speak. But when I was about seventy-five percent finished, I went back and read through this chapter again…and nearly gagged. This chapter alone nearly made me delete the whole file. I just couldn't stand what I had written – it was just too mushy. And it has to be noted that the version I read was the one heavily edited by poor Luna. The chapter had been even mushier before! So, I actually rewrote most of the chapter, just so I could survive reading it. It's still rather mushy – in a good way, I think. But the main difference is that Tuxedo Kamen is now at least a tiny bit in character. Something he wasn't in my earlier drafts._

_The small song snippet in the beginning of the chapter is from Moonlight Densetzu – the Sailor Moon theme in Japanese._

_Oh, and before I forget: For those of you who wanted to see pictures of our cosplay before, they're up at my live journal. I'd give you a direct link, but fan fiction net won't let me post it. So, go to live journal and search on Cherazor. My LJ is readable to everyone. :)_

_Well then. Enough of my babbling! Enjoy the chapter and please review._

_-Cherry (who did, in fact, turn eighteen…not that I'm admitting it or anything…)_

_Once again, a special thank-you to Luna a.k.a Temptation Angel for actually living through the utter out-of-character-ness that plagued this chapter before._

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**Angels and Demons**

_**Chapter three – When Angel Talks**_

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Her eyes were closed as she spun around slowly, her long hair floating around her like a golden halo. Once again he was struck by how angelic she seemed. Divine. _Beautiful_. A small giggle left her slightly parted lips and it was then he realized she was singing, oh-so-softly. He strained his ears, barely able to make out the soft-sung words.

"…_Ima sugu aitai yo, Nakitaku naru you na moonlight, Denwa mo dekinai midnight—_Oh!" Usagi squeaked, both her singing and spinning halting abruptly as she realized she was being watched. She rushed to his side, immediately starting to rearrange his pillows, fluffing them up and arranging them so it would be more comfortable to sit. "Oh, I…anou…I thought you were still sleeping. You've been sleeping ever since Motoki-onii-san left. Daijobu desu ka?"

He snuck a glance at the clock on the bedside table. His eyes widened behind his mask. He'd been sleeping for over nine hours straight! "Daijobu desu," he replied quickly as he realized she was still waiting for him to answer.

She smiled brilliantly and he felt close to melting. The line 'like putty in her hands' suddenly held a whole new meaning for him.

"Are you hungry?"

He nodded, realizing for the first time that he actually was.

She smiled again, rising to her feet. "I'll be right back." She bounded through the door, nearly tripping over the rug. Judging by what he could see reflected of her face in the mirror, she was blushing profoundly.

Tuxedo Kamen smiled softly, leaning back against the pillows. He closed his eyes, resting them for a moment, letting his mind drift. He had nearly drifted off to sleep again when Usagi returned, a tray in hand.

"Tuxedo Kamen-sama?" she called softly.

His head shot up and he blinked rapidly. "Hai?"

She giggled softly. "Just checking that you're still awake." She placed the tray gently in his lap.

"Arigatou." He gestured towards the reeking hot bowl of soup. "Did you cook this yourself?"

She laughed, shaking his head. "Iie, iie! I can't cook to save my life. Mama cooked this earlier, I just warmed it up."

He looked up, his eyes locking with hers. "Tell me more about yourself, Tenshi." He gripped the spoon tightly, his eyes never leaving hers.

She shook her head, a small laugh escaping her lips. "I'm no angel, Tuxedo Kamen-sama."

His mouth twitched momentarily. "You certainly look like one to me." He whispered huskily, his reply coming out a lot more seriously than he'd intended.

Usagi blushed, nodding slowly. For a moment she was certain she'd seen his eyes - blue and beautiful, briefly through his mask.

He smiled, trying to ease up the tension between them. "Now, tell me more about yourself, onegai."

"What would you like to know?"

He shrugged, grimacing in pain at the movement. "Everything," he replied. "Tell me about what you like to do, about your friends…" he trailed off, urging her to start talking.

"Well, I'm fourteen…"

Fourteen? According to Motoki, he was nineteen. He quickly did the math in his head; it meant a five year long gap between them… He shook his head, forcing himself back into the present.

"I collect things with rabbits-"

His mouth twisted upwards in an involuntary smile. "Because of your name?"

She shook her head. "Iie. Well, I suppose it's partly why, but I've received stuffed bunnies since I was little, so I started collecting them. You should see my room, it's filled with bunnies."

He laughed softly. "I wouldn't mind seeing your room sometime."

"Well, if you're feeling well enough to walk around tomorrow, I'll show you around the house. Now, where was I? Oh, right. My favorite color is pink, I'm addicted to chocolate and my favorite flowers are roses."

Afterwards, he wouldn't know what on earth possessed him to behave so out of character. Perhaps it was a weird side effect from the antibiotics or perhaps it was because of the petite girl in front of him. Either way, he flicked his wrist – almost lazily – conjuring a simple red rose into his hand. "Roses? Like this one?" He grinned lopsidedly, offering her the rose silently.

Her eyes widened and she accepted the rose with a gasp. "A-arigatou." She held it under her nose, inhaling its sweet fragrance.

He smiled at her, taking a spoonful of soup in his mouth before grimacing suddenly. It had gone cold.

She glanced at him quizzically and he shook his head, not wanting her to get up. He took another mouthful of soup, swallowing quickly. "Please continue," he urged.

"Well…" she began, albeit a bit hesitantly, "I have a great family. There's Shingo, my little brother. He's really annoying, but I love him anyway. And then there's mama and papa. Mama's a housewife and papa works as a photographer for a newspaper. He promised me that he wouldn't report anything about you." She smiled reassuringly at him before continuing. "I have some of the best friends in the world. There's Naru-chan. She's a really sweet girl and my best friend. We've known each other since we were small.

"Then there's Ami-chan. You might have heard of her, she's really smart and kind…and then there's Rei-chan. She's, well…" She bit her lip, her eyes turning sad. "We fight a lot and she picks on me because…well, I'm a bit of a klutz. And a crybaby. And I'm not very good at school either."

"But, if she picks on you, why are you friends with her?"

"Anou, Ami-chan is a mutual friend. And, call it intuition, but I have a feeling that the picking is her way to show that she cares. She wants me to become a stronger person, so she picks on my weaknesses in an attempt to make me do something about it." She gazed up, locking her eyes with his with a smile. "But if you tell her I told you that, I'll have to kill you."

He let a small chuckle escape his lips. "I'll keep my tongue guarded. So, how come you aren't so good at school? You certainly aren't intellectually disabled."

She blushed. "Well, I…have troubles sleeping at night, so I easily fall asleep in class. And let's just say I'm not so interested either. I do try, but I just can't focus long enough when there are other, much more fun, things to do. I've tried to get Ami-chan to tutor me, but she's so intelligent I sometimes have troubles understanding what she's saying. And I feel bad about asking too many times…"

"Do you have your books with you?"

"Nani? Why?"

He shrugged. "I can tutor you." He swallowed the last of the soup, letting the spoon fall back into the bowl with a soft clang. "If you don't mind, that is."

She shook her head, smiling brilliantly. "Iie!" She got up to her feet. "I'll get my books." She rushed out, returning moments later with a small stack of books in her arms.

He placed the tray on the floor, making room on the bed for both her and her books. "What subject do you need the most help in?"

"Each and every one of them," she replied hastily, her cheeks turning red.

He frowned, gripping the first book in the stack. He glanced at the cover. Math. "Well, math it is then." He flicked it open, skimming through the pages. "Algebra, ne?"

She nodded. "Hai. We've just started, and I'm not sure what they want me to do…"

He placed the book on the bed between them. "Look, it's quite simple. Do you know what the 'x' stands for?" He continued at the blank look she gave him. "The x indicates an unknown number."

"But I thought x was a letter."

"Well, it is…"

"But why is it a letter if it stands for a number? I mean, why isn't it a number?"

"Probably because it would be very confusing. How on earth would you know which number was the one they wanted you to guess?"

"But still! Why an x? Why not a name? A blank spot? Or even a bacon and egg sandwich?"

He chuckled. "I don't think there's a specific reason to why. They could have used something else instead, but can you imagine how much longer time it would take to write 'bacon and egg sandwich' instead of just making an x?"

"Well…I guess you have a point there…" She frowned. "So, what they want me to do is to fill in the blank spaces?"

"Basically…yes."

"Well, why didn't they say so?"

He smiled, handing her a pencil. "Now, why don't you try it? See if it makes sense."

She accepted it, smiling gratefully. "Arigatou," she said softly, and he had a feeling she wasn't only talking about the pencil. She started scribbling, her tongue sticking out from the corner of her mouth as she concentrated. A few minutes later, she handed him the book slowly, the pencil tucked in behind her ear.

He accepted the book wordlessly and began skimming through the page. He smiled, carefully taking the pencil from behind her ear and made a small note in the margin. "You've got the most of them right. I've made a note about the ones you didn't, though. You've done the same mistake on both of them."

"Oh, arigatou!" She squealed, hugging him tightly.

Tuxedo Kamen could feel a light blush coloring his cheeks as he hugged her back. "Dou itashimashite."

She released him slowly, not really wanting to let go. She liked the way it felt to be held by him, how he made her feel. She felt warm and protected… Her heart thundered in her chest and she glanced at him nervously, wondering if he could hear it.

They stared at each other, an uncomfortable silence fell over them but it was immediately broken as Usagi yawned.

Tuxedo Kamen blinked. "Are you tired?"

Usagi desperately tried to hide another yawn behind her hand. "Iie, iie! Not at all."

"Tenshi, don't lie to me. You should go to bed…"

She shook her head, placing the small stack of books on the floor. "Iie! I want to talk more with you."

He leaned back against the pillows once more, signing for her to make herself comfortable. "Well, okay, then. Tell me more about you."

"What would you like to know?"

He frowned for a moment. "Well, what about boys? Do you have a boyfriend?"

She gave out a soft laugh. "Iie."

"Why not?" For a brief moment, he wondered if he really wanted to know.

"Well, I guess I'm not girlfriend material. I mean, I'm not as sweet or intelligent as Ami-chan or as graceful and beautiful as Rei-chan. There's someone I…like." She stared at him wistfully. "But I'm just not good enough for him." She yawned once again.

"You can lie down, if you want. I don't mind," he said softly, rearranging the pillows.

She smiled gratefully before lying down beside him.

"Well? What about other boys?"

She yawned again. "Well, there's Umino-kun… I know he's interested in me, but I only see him as a friend. He's a bit…geeky, to be honest. Then there's Motoki-onii-san, and he only sees me as a sister… And then there's Mamoru…" she paused, giving out a soft yawn combined with a sigh.

He waited anxiously for her to continue. "Tenshi?" he called after a long moment of silence, but he never got to know what she felt about his alter ego; she had already fallen asleep. He glanced down and smiled fondly. "Good night, Tenshi," he whispered, switching of the light. He relaxed back against the sheets, careful not to disturb her.

And it was that position Ikuko found them a half an hour later – side by side, snuggled closely together, his arm draped protectively over her daughter's waist.

Ikuko smiled, picking up the blanket and covering the pair gently. "Keep my daughter safe," she whispered before tiptoeing back outside, softly closing the door behind her.

Should she have stayed a moment longer, she would have heard his sleepily whispered reply.

"Always."

---

Sunlight streamed through the window, playing upon his skin. He stirred to the morning song from the birds outside and inhaled deeply, catching the unfamiliar scent of lilacs. His eyes fluttered open and he smiled. His angel was still lying beside him, snuggled closely against his chest. Her golden hair pooled around her, covering them both like a silky blanket. A faint blush covered her pale cheeks and her pink lips were slightly parted as she breathed. It was definitely a sight he wouldn't mind waking up to every day.

He yawned, shooting the clock a quick glance. Eight thirty-three. He paused. Didn't school start at eight thirty? And, it was Monday, right? So, why was his angel still sleeping?

He nudged her gently. "Tenshi?

She mumbled something inaudible, snuggling closer to his chest.

He nudged her again. "Tenshi…wake up."

"Just five more minutes, mama…"

He chuckled. "I'm not your okaa-san. And I think you're late for school."

Her eyes shot open, immediately flickering to the clock. She gasped and shot out from bed like she'd been flung out of a cannon. "Not again! Haruna-sensei's going to kill me! I'm going to get detention for sure!" She scrambled downstairs, wailing all the way to her room.

Tuxedo Kamen chuckled again, shaking his head. His eyes flickered to the floor for a brief moment and he nearly burst out laughing. The small stack of schoolbooks was still there, lying on the floor, forgotten. He pulled himself up to a sitting position, carefully picking up the books from the floor before staggering onto his feet. His shoulder protested wildly against the movement, but he ignored it and hurried down the stairs, all the way to the bottom floor.

His eyes widened in bewilderment as he noticed that Usagi already was there, dressed in her school uniform.

She rushed about, desperately trying to find her right shoe. "Oh, mama! Why didn't you wake me?"

Ikuko seemed to blush, her eyes flickering between her daughter and her husband. "Oh, I'm quite certain I did." she mumbled vaguely.

At last she found her shoe – hidden underneath the couch in the living room – and slipped her foot into it before dashing to her mother, gripping the lunch she was offering her. "Ja ne, mama! I'll come home as soon as I can."

She was just about to dash out through the door when Tuxedo Kamen stopped her, gripping her wrist softly. "Aren't you forgetting something?" He grinned at the blank look she sent him. "Your books."

"Oh!" She accepted the books hurriedly. "Arigatou!"

He paused, gathering all his courage, before bending down, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. "Have a good day, Tenshi," he whispered, his cheeks faintly red.

"H-hai!" she replied, her cheeks flaming red, before dashing outside.

Ikuko stifled a giggle at the happy, almost silly, smile that crossed Tuxedo Kamen's handsome face. "Now, how about some breakfast?" she asked cheerily.

He managed to bob his head once before staggering into the kitchen.

Kenji clutched the morning paper tightly in his hand as he stared at the masked man. He cleared his throat. "I…saw that. You kissed my daughter."

Ikuko shot him a glare, placing a warning hand on his shoulder. "Kenji, another word and you'll get to know the couch a whole lot better."

His eyes flickered between his wife and the young man in front of him.

"And yes, we are talking about the 'you'll-get-to-sleep-on-the-couch-for-a-month' type of know better," she said, her eyes glinting dangerously.

His shoulders slumped visibly and he nodded.

Tuxedo Kamen cleared his throat nervously, receiving a brilliant smile from Ikuko. "Tsukino-san…your daughter told me about you working at a newspaper, and I wanted to thank you for not reporting about me."

Kenji mumbled something which sounded oddly enough like 'I regret it already'.

Ikuko squeezed his shoulder tightly in her hand. "Kenji…"

He winced. "I mean…" his eyes flickered once again between the hero and his wife. "Of course. It was nothing."

Tuxedo Kamen's eyebrows twitched upwards. Somehow, he very much doubted the sincerity of the statement.

---

_Japanese translations:_

_Tenshi – Angel  
Nani – What  
Ja ne – See you later_  
Daijobu d_esu ka? – Are you okay?  
Daijobu desu – I'm okay  
Onegai – Please  
Hai – Yes  
Iie – No  
Onii – Big brother  
Okaa – Mother  
Sensei – Teacher  
Arigatou – Thank you  
Dou itashimashite – You're welcome  
Anou/Eto – Um/Err_


	4. Chapter four – Darkness is Closing In

_Once again, I'm terribly sorry about the delay. I do have a good reason this time – I went to France for two weeks and then spent another two weeks on trying to work through everything I'd missed in school during that time. And then when you add the fact that I'm not the world's fastest author either... Well, let's just say it's not a winning combination._

_I've barely started writing chapter six – I've been writing two chapters ahead this whole time – so I'm definitely behind. But, since I don't want to keep you guys waiting, I'm posting this anyway._

_Now, read this chapter slowly, because even though it may not seem like it, a lot of things happen in this chapter. That's all I'm going to say. ;)_

_So, enjoy. I'll try to give out the next chapter a bit faster, but I can't promise anything. School is dragging me down..._

_-Cherry _

_A huge special thank-you to Luna a.k.a Temptation Angel for helping me with the Haruna scene. It wouldn't have been half as good without you!  
_

* * *

**Angels and Demons**

**_Chapter four – Darkness is Closing In_**

* * *

Usagi was basically flying down the street. She was panting heavily but she didn't slow down. She didn't have the time to. "I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!" she wailed. She was hideously late, and she knew it. In fact, she'd never been this late before – she had never before woken up _after_ school had started. "Haruna-sensei's going to kill me. I'm so late!" 

She rushed through the entrance to school, not stopping until she'd reached her homeroom. She took a brief moment to regain her breath before raising her hand to knock. It was too late for an attempt to sneak in.

Haruna opened the door a brief moment later. "Tsukino-san, you're later than usual, I see."

Usagi flushed. "Anou, I…eto…"

Haruna shook her head, crossing her arms. "Detention, Tsukino-san."

Her shoulder slumped and her head dropped to her chest. "Hai."

Haruna pointed towards Usagi's vacant seat. "Take your seat; we're about to start the math-test."

A terrified squeak escaped her lips. "T-test?" she stammered, slumping into her seat, feeling defeated. This was definitely not turning out to be her day…

She sighed, sinking further down in her seat as Haruna dropped the test paper on her bench. Usagi gripped her pen, mentally preparing herself for another failed test. She scribbled her name hastily on the top of the paper before skimming through its contents.

She gasped, her eyes widening. "I know that one…" she hastily scribbled the answer to the first equation. "And that one… And that one…" Her eyes widened even more, her pencil basically flying over the sheet of paper. It actually made sense. She had actually understood what the test was about.

Usagi gaped at her already completed test. Silently she wondered if the world was coming to an end. She straightened, throwing the window beside her a quick glance, expecting to see asteroids on crash-course with earth, death-rays aimed at them or at least an enormous youma looming about, but there was nothing.

"Usagi-chan!"

Usagi jerked back into reality at the sound of her name. She glanced around quizzically. "Huh?"

"Usagi-chan…" A small note dropped into her lap.

She glanced around again, her eyes locking with Naru.

Naru nodded her head softly. "Ami-chan asked me to give it to you before class started," she whispered before returning her attention to her test.

Usagi glanced around the room once more, making sure that Haruna wasn't looking, before unfolding the note in her hands. The note had been written hastily, she could tell by the slight slant in Ami's usually tidy handwriting, but it was still fully readable.

Her eyes traveled over the note as she skimmed through its content. She slumped back into her chair. They wanted to have a meeting directly after school? And she who had detention! She resisted the urge to bang her head against the bench. This was definitely not turning out to be her day at all! All she wanted was to go home…

The rest of they school day passed by in a slow haze. Usagi couldn't concentrate hard enough to either do or remember anything that she had been told. Instead, she altered between staring out the window longingly and glancing at the clock. The minutes seemed to drag by. If it wasn't for the occasional ticking, she could have sworn the clock had stopped.

Usagi sighed, dropping her head against her bench. Moments later, she was asleep, snoring softly.

"Class dismissed!"

Usagi squeaked as Haruna's voice jerked her back to consciousness. She leaped up violently, her chair toppling over behind her. She picked up her books, about to rush through the door when a voice interrupted her.

"Tsukino-san!"

She paused at the door, her eyebrows raised. "Hai?"

"Detention."

Her shoulders slumped and her head dropped to her chest dejectedly. "Oh. Right. I had forgotten about that." She walked back to her bench, her long hair scraping against the floor, gathering dirt with every step. She looked, all in all, as if someone just had sentenced her to her death.

Haruna placed a single sheet of paper in front of her. "Answer all of these questions. You may leave when you're finished," she stated simply, returning to her desk in quick strides. "Might as well grade those tests…" She drew a wary hand through her wavy red hair, leaving her usually tidy hairstyle disheveled.

Usagi stared blankly at the paper before her. The words blurred together and the letters on it seemed to dance mockingly before her eyes. English. Why on earth did it have to be English?

She bit her lip in concentration, desperately trying to understand the foreign words before her. "I…eto…wa-nt-" the words rolled of her tongue clumsily as she staggered with the pronunciation. She tapped her pencil against her bench impatiently. "I wa-nt to…b-b-uy a…" She gave a soft growl of annoyance, throwing up her hands in defeat. It didn't matter how hard she tried, she still didn't understand the words anyway.

She moaned, letting her eyes flicker between the clock on the wall and Haruna.

Haruna flipped the paper she'd been grading, gripping another paper in the same process before pausing, returning to the already graded paper. She gave out a loud shriek. "Tsukino-san! What's the meaning of this?" she cried.

Usagi squeaked, toppling backwards together with her chair. "Haruna-sensei?" she moaned, stars dancing before her eyes.

Haruna shoved the paper into her face. "What's the meaning of this?"

She gripped the paper nervously, moving it from out of her face. "I-I don't understand…"

Haruna gave out an aggravated sigh, crossing her arms. "The grade, Tsukino-san."

She gulped, closing her eyes anxiously. Why was Haruna so angry? Had she scored even lower than normal? She opened her eyes slowly, peering at her grade. Her eyes bulged. "Six—sixty-three point five?" she stammered when she finally managed to pick her jaw from the floor. It was a passing grade. A _very good _passing grade, even – or, at least to her.

But why was Haruna so angry, then?

Haruna frowned. "You sit beside Osaka-san, do you not?"

Usagi nodded slowly. "Hai."

Her scowl seemed to deepen momentarily before giving away to disappointment. "And she scored just some few points more than you. Tsukino-san, I'm very disappointed in you."

"Nani?" she squeaked, her eyes widening quizzically. She paused for a moment, her eyes narrowing angrily as she realized what her teacher was accusing her of. "Haruna-sensei! I didn't cheat!" she cried, her crystal blue eyes darkening dangerously. "I had…" she paused for a short moment, "a friend tutoring me last night!"

There was a slight pause. "Oh, really?" Haruna muttered, her mouth curling into a disbelieving smile. "And who might this friend be?"

The anger seemed to dissipate in a matter of moments, giving away for a completely different emotion to take its place. Panic. "Anou…eto…it's a friend."

Haruna crossed her arms over her chest. "Indeed? And does this friend have a name?"

Usagi let out a shrill laugh, rubbing her neck tiredly. "Hai."

"And that would be...?" She tilted her head slightly to the side.

Usagi laughed again, her eyes flickering between Haruna and the door. Silently she wondered if she'd make it outside if she made a run for it. "Anou...I can't tell you that. He's...eto...very shy?"

Haruna clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "Tsukino-san…."

She rubbed her neck tiredly. What was she supposed to say? 'Oh, you've probably heard of him. You see, I was walking back home from after a battle the other day when I bumped into a mortally wounded Tuxedo Kamen-sama. I managed to drag him home and help him with his injuries and now we've become rather good friends. It's a bit hard not too when you're lying half-naked in someone else's attic. Anyway, he decided to tutor me yesterday and that's that…'? Oh, yes. She was sure _that_ would go over well…

Haruna tapped her foot impatiently. "I'm waiting, Tsukino-san."

"Anou...I don't know his name," she replied truthfully after a moment of silence

"So you want me to believe that you've been tutored by a man who's so incredibly shy he hasn't told you his name?"

"Eh-hehehe…hai?"

Haruna shook her head. "I'm going to call your parents. I'm deeply disappointed in you, Tsukino-san."

"But…but…" she stammered, her mind running miles a minute. "But I can prove it," she whispered suddenly, her voice nearly cracking.

Haruna paused in mid-step, abruptly twirling around. "How?"

She fidgeted for a moment under her intense gaze. "He wrote some notes in my math book. He said he'd written comments on the things I needed to improve on." She quickly flipped through the pages of her book before stopping at the one she had gone through with Tuxedo Kamen. "Here. See?" She held out the book slowly, almost nervously, for Haruna to see.

Haruna quirked an eyebrow, quickly scanning through the opened page, her eyes widening at the sight of the small notes in the margin.

_Don't forget the negative numbers._

Haruna gave a sharp intake of breath. The man – whoever it was – had commented on the very same problems Usagi had during the test – she kept forgetting about negative numbers. Haruna breathed out slowly, desperately trying to tell herself that the world really hadn't begun to revolve in reverse. It just felt that way. "You…you may leave."

"Nani? Really?"

Haruna nodded as she staggered to her desk, quickly digging through her many drawers. "Where is it? I know I left it somewhere around… Aha. There it is." She gripped a pencil hastily, almost desperately, from her desk.

And as Usagi closed the door behind her, she could have sworn she heard Haruna mutter to herself.

"_Dear diary. I swear, the world will collapse and we're all going to die. Usagi passed a test…_"

* * *

Her footsteps thundered against the pavement as she sped towards the address Ami had given her earlier. She was panting heavily, her lungs burning, and sweat dripped from her forehead, and yet she refused to stop running. She was already an hour late for their meeting thanks to Haruna and her detention. 

"I'm late again!" she wailed breathlessly, dodging people to the left and right, desperately trying to avoid running into them. She stopped suddenly, staring at one of the road signs before taking off again, running into a nearby park. "Rei-chan's going to kill me when I –Oof!" she cried as she ran headfirst into something – or rather some_one_.

She tumbled helplessly to the ground with a groan, landing painfully on her backside. Of course, a lousy day just wasn't complete without running into _him_. "Listen, Mamoru-baka, I've had a really –Oh!" she squeaked as she looked up, catching the first glimpse of the man's face. Instead of the sneering face of the baka, as she'd expected, it was a confused – and completely unfamiliar – face of a rather young man with long, wavy brown, hair.

She leaped onto her feet, bowing hastily. "Gomen nasai!" she stammered. "I thought it was someone else… I –Oh, Ami-chan!" she called, spotting the blue haired genius over the man's shoulder. She took off, throwing a last "Gomen nasai" over her shoulder.

Ami smiled. "Oh, there you are Usagi-chan."

Rei tapped her foot impatiently against the ground. "You're late," she said, jerking her head upwards sharply, making her dark hair flutter around her like a silky drapery.

Usagi sniffed indignantly before sticking out her tongue. She opened her mouth to make a snappy reply, but was interrupted when Ami stepped between them, shaking her head wearily. She motioned towards the bench behind them. "We need to talk," she said simply before slipping down onto the bench.

Usagi nodded, slumping down beside her. She looked around, slowly taking in the beauty of her surroundings. The park truly was beautiful. The trees rustled softly in the wind, the quiet twittering of birds wafting like the breeze among them, the lake sparkled merrily under the sunlight. She smiled contently, leaning back against the bench. "It's so nice and quiet here…"

Ami smiled. "Do you really think so? I always come here to read when I don't have cram school." She nodded towards an elderly man sitting hunched down by one of the many flowerbeds. "That's Kunitachi-san, the park keeper. He handles the whole park himself."

"Really? Sugoi!"

She nodded, a fond smile gracing her lips for a brief moment before she turned serious. "Usagi-chan, we both heard from Luna that you found Tux—_him_ wounded the other day, ne?"

Usagi nodded. "Hai," she said, lowering her voice to a mere whisper, forcing the two other senshi to lean closer. "I was on my way home from after our meeting – you know, the one after the battle – when I found him. Something had pierced right through his shoulder and he'd lost a lot of blood. He was barely conscious when I found him…"

Ami gripped Usagi's hand tightly, sending her a comforting smile. "I know you mean well, Usagi-chan, but even if he's saved you…we still don't know on whose side he's on. He could be dangerous…"

"I know that, Ami-chan. But what should I have done? Left him on the street to die?"

Rei shook her head, straightening slightly. "Why didn't you call us?" she hissed, her purple eyes gazing at her golden haired friend intently.

"I didn't have the time to! And afterwards…well, I suppose it just…slipped my mind," she mumbled, rubbing her neck sheepishly.

"Slipped your mind?" Rei cried, leaping onto her feet. "You have Tuxedo Kamen lying in your attic, and it _slipped your mind_?"

She shot her a glare. "Keep your voice down," she whispered, her eyes flickering nervously over their surroundings.

Rei's cheeks turned pink. "Look who's talking, Miss I-have-a-voice-louder-than-a-signal-horn!"

Ami sighed. "What I want to know," she started, raising her voice wearily, "is how he got wounded."

Usagi stopped her wailing immediately. "I-I don't know," she replied slowly, a small blush gracing her cheeks. "I didn't ask."

Rei shook her head, rolling her eyes sarcastically.

Ami frowned, seemingly deep in thought. Her eyebrows furrowed together and she kept chewing on her bottom lip. "After you brought him home," she said after a moment of silence, "who took care of him?"

Usagi peered at her curiously. "Mama and I," she paused for a second. "And Motoki-onii-san. Tuxedo Kamen-sama had a fever and we didn't know what to do, so I asked Motoki-onii-san to help, he is studying to become a doctor, after all and I know we can trust him. Oh, and papa, I suppose…"

Ami nodded. "I want to make some few scans of Tuxedo Kamen with my computer later, Usagi-chan. But I think I better talk to Motoki-san first…"

Usagi nodded. "Can I go home now? I promised mama that I'd be home as soon as possible."

Rei snorted. "You just want to go back to Tuxedo Kamen."

Her cheeks flushed red. "I do not!" she shrieked, unconsciously bringing her hand to the spot where he'd kissed her cheek earlier that day.

"Sure you don't."

Usagi huffed. "Don't you have anywhere else to be?"

Rei smiled, knowing it would annoy her blonde friend. "Nope," she replied cheerily.

"No wonder. Let me guess; the psycho convention was cancelled because of unforeseen circumstances?" Usagi retorted, sticking out her tongue.

Rei huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's 'psychic' not 'psycho', you baka," she muttered before returning the grimace.

"Same difference!"

"No, it's not!"

"Yes it is!"

Ami sighed, shaking her head at them both. She gripped the hem of their school-shirts, yanking them back down to the bench. "We'll come over around eight for a visit, all right, Usagi-chan?"

Usagi nodded, smiling brilliantly. "Hai! Well, I better run now. Ja ne, Ami-chan, Rei-chan!" She waved enthusiastically before running of, her long hair streaming behind her.

Ami smiled, waving hastily before turning to her dark-haired friend. "You really should have kept your voice down, Rei-chan."

Rei shrugged. "I know, I know… I just…" She sighed. "But still, no one listens in on people in a park!"

Little did they know that just some few steps behind them stood a man with long, wavy brown hair, who'd done just that.

* * *

To be continued...

* * *

_Japanese translations:_

_  
Tenshi – Angel  
Nani – What  
Baka – Idiot/Jerk  
Ja ne – See you later  
Hai – Yes  
Onii – Big brother  
Sensei – Teacher  
Arigatou – Thank you  
Anou/Eto – Um/Err_


	5. Chapter five – When Angels Fall

_Well, it's not as big of a delay as last time, right? I'm not that late! What? Me? In denial? No, of course not! How dare you accuse me of being delusional!_

_Right, moving on… Now we've finally reached the chapter, not perhaps the one you have been waiting for, but the one **I've** been waiting for. A lot of things happen here… In fact, this is basically the chapter where the whole plot really starts of. It took me five chapters. Yes, I'm a bit slow. :P_

_And, in somewhat related news, my fic **I Know Better **has been nominated in **the Annual Sailor Moon Reader's Choice Fanfiction Awards **in the categories Angst/Darkfic fic and One-shot. I'm so giddy! I've never been nominated in anything before. So, please…support me._

_Well, I think I've babbled quite enough now…_

_Read, review and enjoy!_

_-Cherry _

_A huge thank-you to Luna a.k.a Temptation Angel for reading this through and not killing me when you were done.  
_

* * *

**Angels and Demons**

_**Chapter five – When Angels Fall**_

* * *

It took Usagi a good half an hour to actually get home from the park. Usually, it probably wouldn't have taken her more than a few minutes, but she'd been tired after all the running she had already done during the day and had simply been unable to muster the energy she needed to run all the way home.

Her hair was windblown and messy, falling out from her usually tidy odango and into her eyes. She exhaled, blowing a few strands of hair away from of her eyes tiredly. "Mama," she called breathlessly, pushing her shoes off the doormat. "I'm home!"

"Yo, Usagi-chan."

She whirled around. "Oh! Motoki-onii-san!" She smiled. "What are you doing here?"

He smiled, ruffling her hair playfully. "I came to deliver those antibiotics I promised yesterday."

She nodded, smiling softly. "Arigatou. So how is he?"

"He looks a lot better than he did yesterday and he's been walking around the house all day, from what I've heard. In fact, if he keeps on healing at this rate he'll be able to leave tomorrow without any problems."

Her face fell. "L-leave?" she stammered. "Tomorrow?"

Motoki, oblivious to her crestfallen appearance, bent down, tying his shoelaces swiftly. "Yeah. Oh, and your okaa-san is out shopping for lemons. She mentioned something about lemon pie…"

Usagi brightened, if only marginally. "Lemon pie! I love lemon pie!"

He laughed, ruffling her hair once again. "I know. Well, I better go. Unazuki can't handle the Arcade longer than fifteen minutes without my help…" He smiled, giving her a short wave. "Ja, Usagi-chan."

"Bai bai, Motoki-onii-san!" She waved back before turning around, quickly walking into the living room. She glanced around, her eyes darting from one side of the room to another, until she finally spotted him on the couch, sitting with his back turned towards her. "Tuxedo Kamen-sama," she whispered softly.

His gloveless hands were tucked behind his head as he leaned back. "Tenshi," he greeted.

She gaped. "How did you—? You couldn't possibly—! Oh, never mind." She smiled, slumping down onto the couch beside him.

He smiled lopsidedly. "So, how was school?"

She sniffed. "Horrible, as usual. I got a detention and on top of that we had a math-test!" she wailed dramatically, her lips forming a pout. Then her demeanor brightened considerately, a smile forming on her lips and she threw her arms around him, enveloping him in a big hug. "But, I actually passed it and it's all thanks to you! Arigatou!" A happy laugh bubbled up in her throat as she buried her face deeper into his shirt.

His cheeks turned faintly pink as he chuckled huskily. "May I see it?"

"Hmm?"

"The test. May I see it?"

"Oh. Oh, right. Of course." She pulled back reluctantly from his arms before digging through her pocket, pulling out a small sheet of folded paper. She held out the note, her hand hovering nervously above his, as if she was afraid to give it to him.

He took her small hand in his own much larger one, giving it a soft squeeze before gripping the note gently.

She released it slowly, a light blush covering her cheeks.

He unfolded the note carefully. "Sixty-three point five?"

Her cheeks immediately turned into a brighter shade of pink. "Anou…I know it's not good, but I passed…" She squirmed, her hands playing nervously with the hem of her skirt.

A small smile tugged at his lips. "And what was your last score? Before this one, I mean."

Her cheeks flushed, now sporting a rather interesting beet-red color. "Thirty," she mumbled, her fingers rubbing against each other nervously.

He reached out with his hand, cupping her cheek gently. "Tenshi, you managed to better your score with thirty points. Don't be so harsh on yourself, it's impressive!" He smiled, letting his thumb caress her cheek. "Smile, Tenshi. Frowns don't suit you."

She smiled weakly, leaning into his warm touch. "Tuxedo Kamen-sama… Motoki-onii-san said that you're leaving tomorrow."

His hand dropped to his side and she missed the warmth immediately. He nodded slowly. "Yeah, I'd like to stay, but every moment I'm here…I'm putting both you and your family in danger. Should anything happen to you…" he trailed off, his voice getting softer with every word.

Her gaze dropped as her bottom-lip quivered. "I-I know," she whispered. "I'm going to miss you."

"I know it sounds silly, I've only known you for a couple of days…but I can not help but feel that I knew you somehow long, long ago…" His eyes clouded over behind his mask, darkening into a misty cobalt blue. He paused for a moment before shaking his head. His eyes cleared, returning it its usual stormy blue color. "I'm going to miss you too and I'll try to visit you whenever I can."

She nodded, biting her lip in an attempt to stop it from quivering. "I—arigatou," she whispered.

He smiled gently at her. "So, how about that tour of your house you promised me yesterday?" he asked, deliberately changing the topic to a much lighter one.

She nodded, sending him a weak smile. "Hai," she replied, pulling herself up.

Tuxedo Kamen rose slowly, carefully trying to avoid disturbing his injured shoulder. He winced when he accidentally bumped it against the couch, causing a searing pain to shot through his injury. He gritted his teeth, clenching his right first a couple of times, forcing himself to keep quiet. The last thing he needed was to give his golden-haired angel anything more to worry about.

Usagi smiled softy and he forced an equally cheerful smile to appear on his face. "So, I suppose you've already seen most of the bottom floor, right?" She waved her hand towards the kitchen.

He leaned against the couch, his right hand still clenched tightly. "Yeah," he replied as cheerfully as he could. The pain in his shoulder had faded into a duller, pulsing, ache, but it still felt as if someone had stabbed him with a burning knife.

She eyed him suspiciously, but chose not to comment. Instead she smiled, gripping his hand enthusiastically before dragging him along as she skipped up stairs.

He smiled, even through the burning pain that shot through his shoulder at her hasty movements. "Oi, oi there, Tenshi. Slow down."

She slowed down marginally, pulling him into the nearest room on the upper floor. "This is Shingo's room," she said, and he found himself transfixed at the beautiful bright smile which lit up her face like a million-watt light-bulb. She shook her head, pointing with her hand at something he couldn't quite muster the interest to look at. Instead, he found himself almost mesmerized by her hair and how it cascaded like an endless waterfall of gold down her back.

He clenched his hand in an almost futile attempt to keep himself from reach out and touch a stray strand of golden locks. Instead he shifted his gaze towards her face, in a desperate attempt to concentrate on what she was saying. But it was futile, and he knew it. He could see her pink lips move as she continued to talk and yet he heard nothing.

He gave himself a mental shake. He was behaving like a hormonal teenager! Granted, he _was_ a hormonal teenager, but he wasn't supposed to behave like one. He was a warrior; a hero; _Tuxedo Kamen,_ protector of both Tokyo and Sailor Moon. He had to control his feelings, and his hormones, in all situations.

But there was something about her, _his angel_, something utterly captivating and warm. Something that made him trust her. Something that forced him to open up and to relax…

She gripped his right arm suddenly, dragging him out and along the hall and into a small room. "And this is my room." She twirled around, waving her arms around her.

Tuxedo Kamen smiled, letting a rare chuckle escape his lips. The room truly was filled with bunnies. Everything from her wallpaper to her pillowcases had, at least, some kind of rabbit imprint on them. Piles and piles of stuffed bunnies covered her floor and most of the vacant space on her bed.

"I guess you weren't joking when you said your room was filled with bunnies."

She giggled, letting herself fall backwards onto her bed, shoving off the bunnies without a moment of hesitation. "Iie!" she replied, a happy laugh bubbling up through her throat at the sight of his amusement. She patted the bed with her hand, signing for him to join her. "Now it's your turn, Tuxedo Kamen-sama."

He quirked an eyebrow as he seated himself at the corner of her bed. "Nani?"

"Tell me more about yourself, Tuxedo Kamen-sama. Anou…why do you always come to m— Sailor Moon's rescue?"

A lone golden strand of her long hair found its way into between his fingers and he twirled it thoughtfully, noting absently how silky it felt against his skin. "I don't think I have much choice," he replied after a moment of silence. "My blood starts boiling and it makes me want to rescue her."

She studied him in silence for a moment. "You love her," she whispered, cocking her head to the right.

He paused, her silky hair nearly slipping away from his fingers. "No, I don't love her. I have the feeling that we're connected somehow due to something which happened a long, long time ago. I have the same feeling with you," he murmured softly, slowly cupping her cheek in his hand, "only, with you, it's much stronger." A gentle smile tugged at his lips as he felt her cheeks heat up under his hand.

"Tuxedo Kamen-sama…" she whispered slowly, breaking their gaze.

He lifted her face gently. "I don't know much about myself, but I'm willing to tell you what I know." His thumb traced a small circle on her cheek, his eyes darkening slightly under his mask. "I've been having these visions for as long as I can remember. I don't know what they mean; I just know they're important, somehow. They're always the same… I'm standing in front of a castle. It's a beautiful building, but there's something about it which makes it seem so…hallow. Dead.

"Fog and darkness surrounds the whole area, only adding to the feeling of tragedy it radiates. Sometimes I feel like I have trouble breathing. It's all so intense… Music starts playing and I don't know from where…all I know is that the melody makes my heart clench every time I hear it. A young girl appears on one of the many balconies. I never get to see her clearly, but somehow I know she's beautiful. Then she starts talking, her soft voice echoing through the silence, begging me to find the Ginzuishou for her. And I don't know why, but I just know that if I find it…everything will make sense. I'll learn who I am and why I'm…doing this."

"The Ginzuishou…"

"I'm not exactly sure what it is," he said, mistaking her hesitated sentence for a question, "I know it's a crystal of some sort and that the Sailor Senshi are searching for it as well, but beyond that…" he trailed off.

"Does that…" she paused for a brief moment, "does that mean you're fighting against the Senshi?" she asked, her voice weak and frail – almost as if she didn't want to know the answer.

He trailed her cheek with his hand thoughtfully. "I…" he paused. "I don't know. It would depend, I think. I want the Dark Kingdom to win as much as the Senshi does, but when it comes to the Ginzuishou…I might be their enemy."

Her eyes widened. "En-enemy?"

"Not that I'd want to be their enemy, but if we're after the same thing… All I know is that I have to find the Ginzuishou, with or without their help."

She inched closer, closing the nearly extinct gap between them. "But if you asked…I'm sure they'd be willing to help."

He lowered his head, their lips so close he could feel her warm breath playing on his skin, tickling his senses. "Maybe. But not everyone's as good as you, Tenshi," he whispered huskily, his hand burying itself in her hair.

She licked her lips nervously. "I—Tuxedo Kamen-sama…"

"Tenshi…" he whispered, his breathing seemed to quicken as he leant even closer, so close their lips nearly touched when he spoke.

"_Usagi!_" Her mother howled from the kitchen. "_I'm finished with my lemon pie! Would you like a piece? I have one for Tuxedo Kamen as well…_"

They both jerked away from each other, their faces flushed red.

Usagi's eyes were wide open, her breathing shallow. "I'm coming, mama!" she called back, her voice nearly stuck in her throat. She cleared her throat nervously, sending him a weak smile. "Would…would you like some lemon pie?"

He nodded mutely, not trusting his voice to speak.

"Okay. I'll be right back." She rolled off her bed, hastily walking out the room.

Tuxedo Kamen racked a hand through his hair, messing it up even further. What on earth had happened? One moment they'd been having a serious discussion, and then in the next…in the next he'd almost _kissed _her. What on earth was wrong with him? Controlling his emotions had never been so hard before… And now… Now there wasn't any doubt that he'd scared her; why else would she run out from her room like the dogs from hell were hot on her trail?

He sighed, letting his shoulders rest against the wall with a soft thump, his head spinning with every thought. Moments without her passed slowly, and for a brief moment it almost felt like all the clocks in the world had started to tick _backwards._

"Tuxedo Kamen-sama?" Her voice was soft, yet still loud enough to break him out of his reverie.

His head jerked up, his eyes locking on her small form. "Hai?"

She blushed, her cheeks turning into a faintly pink color. "I brought you the lemon pie-slice I promised. I didn't know how much cream you wanted, so I guessed. I suppose it's a bit too much, but I thought that it's easier to remove the cream than to get¾" she broke of, her eyes widening to twice of their normal size. The plates in her hands slipped out of her grasp, shattering against the floor.

Tuxedo Kamen nearly gasped in shock as he felt his angel's small frame slam into him, shielding him against the bed with her own small, trembling body. "Tenshi, what¾?" A blast of heat filled the air and the sound of windows shattering broke him off. Shards of glass flew around him, thundering against the mattress. He twisted around, staring over Usagi's shoulder, only to see a man there, his dark wavy hair seemingly floating around him as he hovered outside the now shattered windows. His hands were raised, dark energy crackling between them.

The man raised shaved his arms forward, his mouth forming a smile as the energy shot forward, straight towards them.

Tuxedo Kamen inhaled sharply, desperately trying to shove his angel out of harms way.

"Iie!" she cried, her grip around him tightening. The orb of dark energy slammed into her back, and she cried out in pain. "Tuxedo Kamen-sama…" she whimpered, her hold on him loosening. "I just couldn't let you get hurt…" she smiled sadly at him as she slumped to the floor

He gasped, his eyes widened in both chock and disbelief. "Iie… _Iie_. _TENSHIKO!_"

* * *

_To be continued..._

* * *

_Japanese translations:  
Tenshi – Angel  
Tenshiko – My Angel  
Nani – What  
Ja (ne) – See you later  
Hai – Yes  
Iie – No  
Okaa – Mother  
Onii – Big brother  
Arigatou – Thank you  
Anou/Eto – Um/Err  
Ginzuishou – The Silver Crystal_


	6. Chapter six – The Dreams I Sacrificed

_Ugh! I'm even later than usual. But I have a good reason this time, I really do – I've barely been home these last couple of months. In fact, everything I've posted up until this point has been pre-written or things I've written in my notebook while travelling._

_Still, it wasn't meant to take this long for me to update. And really, it wouldn't have, if it wasn't for the fact that I was immensely unhappy with this chapter and decided to rewrite most of it. Well, at least I think it's okay now._

_Anyway, as I said before – my story **I Know Better** has been nominated in the **Annual Sailor Moon Fan Fiction Awards**, so please, please, please support me. I've never been nominated for anything before, and I'm really excited. I still need my fic to be seconded, though..._

_Moving on, I'm sorry about the delay, I really am. But enjoy and please review._

_-Cherry _

**

* * *

**

Angels and Demons

_**Chapter five – The Dreams I Sacrificed**_

* * *

Ami sighed, pulling an aggravated hand through her short blue hair. "Rei-chan, if we don't hurry, we're going to be late. We promised Usagi to be there by eight," she stated, her voice sounding a lot calmer than she felt. 

"Well, it would serve her right if we were late! She's the one always rushing in an hour after appointed time. She can be so immature," Rei huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

Luna rolled her eyes. "Now you're the one being immature, Rei-chan."

Rei glared at the small feline. "Am not!"

Ami sighed again, shaking her head. "Rei-chan, please. I hate being late."

Rei rolled her eyes, exhaling sharply. "Fine, fine," she muttered, unfolding her arms. "But I still think we–" she trailed off, her mouth snapping shut as her head jerked up sharply.

Luna's eyes narrowed as she leaped off Ami's shoulder. "Rei-chan?" she paused, noticing how the both girls' eyes clouded over, seeming almost vacant. "Ami-chan?"

Neither of them replied. A strange, but yet oddly familiar, sensation had fallen over the both girls, tugging at their hearts with an intensity they couldn't explain. Then it stopped, as suddenly as it had started, leaving them with the feeling of something missing, as if half their soul had disappeared…

"Usagi!" the shriek left their lips unbidden, as if they didn't have control over their own mouths, but neither of them paused long enough to think about it. The both took off, running faster than they'd ever done before, transforming as they went.

Sailor Mars frowned deeply as they approached their friends house, her eyes locking at the dark figure hovering outside Usagi's, apparently shattered, bedroom windows. "Who is that?" she growled through her tightly clenched teeth.

Sailor Mercury tapped her left earring, both visor and computer appearing to her disposal, and immediately began analyzing the scene before her. She gasped. "That's the man Usagi bumped into in the park!"

* * *

The man chuckled, his eyes dancing with a dark, malicious light. "Allow me to introduce myself." The man smiled calmly, his hands crackling with unreleased energy. "I am Nephrite, one of the Dark Kingdom's four generals." 

Tuxedo Kamen's head jerked up, staring at the man with unbridled hatred. "You…" He growled, a low sound coming from deep in his throat. "You hurt her. She's an innocent—"

Nephrite snorted. "Why should I care what happens to some girl?"

"She is not just _some girl_!" Tuxedo Kamen roared. "She's special!" His hand clenched into a first, a rose immediately appearing in it.

Nephrite's gaze flickered momentarily to the rose before traveling back to the masked man. He smiled coldly. "You truly are pathetic."

"_Stop!_"

Tuxedo Kamen whirled around, just in time to see Sailor Mars and Sailor Mercury leap through the shattered windows. "What—?"

Sailor Mercury's gaze flickered towards him for a brief moment, her eyes looking even bluer than usual through her tinted goggles, before sending him a wary smile.

"_Fire...Soul!_"

Tuxedo Kamen leapt back in surprise, his eyes widening as the fire passed him, mere inches from his face. "Oi!" he grunted.

"_Shabon...Spray!_"

The room was immediately filled with a thick fog and, for once, he didn't know whether to be grateful of the fact or not. Sure, Nephrite couldn't see them now, but neither could they.

He ran forward, desperately searching for the man who'd had so carelessly hurt the most beautiful person in the world. It didn't matter how high the price – Nephrite's life would be his to take. "Nephrite! Show yourself, you coward!" he roared, fury burning inside of him – the sensation so strong it almost felt like he was going to burst.

Then the impossible happen – he started to glow, the golden light enveloping him in a matter of moments.

He raised his hand, attempting to stare at it in confusion, when the motion caused the fog around him to dissipate, revealing the arrogant general in front of him. His trademark dark energy crackled maliciously between his hands.

Nephrite laughed. The energy pulsated violently around him, successfully blinding everyone in the room.

Tuxedo Kamen raised his arm, desperately trying to shield his eyes with it. "What the hell is going on...?" he growled. To his right, he could hear the Senshi scream, their voices tainted with agony, and yet...and yet he felt nothing.

The golden aura around him flared, nearly humming with energy. Somehow, he knew it was because of it that he was still conscious. He walked forward, the golden hue never dulling. "You…" He glared before gripping the still pulsating general by his neck.

Nephrite coughed, his eyes widening as the dark energy around him suddenly died. "What—? What…are you?"

Tuxedo Kamen glared, his blue eyes nearly glowing with hatred. "I'm _angry_. What you did was _unforgivable_," he growled, the golden glow around him pulsating.

From somewhere on the floor, he could hear Sailor Mercury gasp.

He roared, the light around him brightened, shining – for a brief moment – even brighter than the sun.

A pained scream erupted from the General's throat, his eyes widening even more.

Tuxedo Kamen clenched his eyes shut tightly, only to let them snap open again as he felt his grip around the other man's neck to start loosen. He gasped, his eyes widening in shock. His grip hadn't loosened – the other man was decaying to dust.

Seconds later, only a small green stone remained, tightly clenched in his fists.

Tuxedo Kamen stared at the small, gleaming stone before tightening his grip around it. "_Unforgivable,_" he whispered, giving the stone a last glare before hurling it out the window with all his might.

Sailor Mercury raised to her feet, her eyes filling with pained tears. "Usagi-chan…" she whispered, staggering forward. "Usagi-chan…" She slumped down beside her blonde friend, gently turning her over.

A startled gasp left her throat.

Tuxedo Kamen jerked. "What is it?" he demanded, his voice low. He rushed forward, nearly tripping over his own feet in his haste.

Sailor Mercury raised her head, her eyes filled with endless despair. "She…"

Tuxedo Kamen stared at his angel, his breath nearly getting caught in his throat. Her eyes were open, staring at something unseen, never blinking and never moving, their usual bright spark gone.

A choked sob left his throat as he realized what Sailor Mercury was trying, and failing, at saying.

* * *

Ikuko pounded on her daughter's bedroom door, her heart beating harshly in her chest. She'd been downstairs, pouring a generous amount of cream on her slice of pie when the sound of shattering glass and screams had reached her ears. She had raced up, only to come across her daughter's locked bedroom door. 

"Open the door! Usagi, open the door!" she cried, fear gripping her heart. "Open the door!"

The door opened with a soft click, revealing a pair of incredibly blue eyes. For a brief moment, Ikuko felt a surge of relief wash over her body, until she realized that the eyes didn't belong to her daughter. Far from it.

Instead, a small blue-haired girl stood before her, her blue eyes glistering with tears. The girl stepped aside, allowing her entrance.

Ikuko stared, barely taking in the girl's rather odd outfit as her mind numbly wondered where on earth she'd seen the girl before. Then, it suddenly clicked. She gasped. "Sailor Mercury?"

The girl nodded. "Tsukino-san…" she whispered, her voice wavering, "I'm sorry."

"'Sorry'? Wh-what…?" Ikuko looked up, for the first time taking the time to look around her daughter's room.

It was in complete disarray. The windows were shattered, shards covering most of the floor; the many bunnies her daughter had so proudly collected had been burned to ashes, or at least badly scorched…

Her eyes continued to travel around the room, soon locking on the Senshi of fire. Sailor Mars was crying, strangled sobs erupting from her throat as she stumbled forward, desperately trying to reach a small huddled form on the floor.

Ikuko gasped, her heart beating even faster, as she realized exactly _what _the huddled form on the floor was. "Usagi…"

Sailor Mars gripped the shoulders of the small blonde, shaking her roughly. "No, no, no… Wake up! It's not funny! Stop pretending, Usagi! Wake up! Wake up! I'll never forgive you if you don't wake up this instant, you baka! Wake up…" She crumpled to the floor with a sob. "Wake up… It's all my fault… Usagi…"

Ikuko could feel her knees go weak. "No… Please tell me it isn't true. Please," she sobbed, spinning around to meet the blue-haired girl's guilty gaze, "it can't be true… Please…"

Sailor Mercury sobbed, tears spilling from her eyes. "I'm sorry, Tsukino-san… I'm sorry…"

A pained cry left Ikuko's throat even before she could register it. "No…please…" She crumbled to the floor, her knees unable to support her weight anymore.

Sailor Mercury closed her eyes in anguish. "She's dead."

* * *

_To be continued..._

_

* * *

_

_Japanese translations:  
__  
__Baka – Idiot/Jerk_


End file.
